The Municipality of Uribia covers most of the northern area of the Guajira Peninsula, the northernmost part of South America.

[3] Uribia has an arid climate (Köppen BWh) owing to its extremely hot temperatures that average around 30 °C (86 °F) on most days of the year.

Rainfall averages around 360 millimetres (14 in) per year but even in the “wet” months of May, September, October and November it does not reach the level of potential evaporation.

In 1905, Pope Pius X created the Vicariate of La Guajira and as first Vicar, friar Atanasio Vicente Soler y Royo in an attempt to "civilize" the Wayuu people.

The main plaza was created and named after Francisco de Paula Santander one of the leaders of the Colombian independence from Spain.